I wake slightly disoriented, because it's my first morning waking up back in Minnesota. I have to stop and think what day it is, since days with Prince are so jam packed with activities each one feels like two or three. It takes less than a minute for me to decipher that it's Tuesday as I turn over to see the sunlight streaming through the open bathroom door. I get out of bed, crossing the room sleepily, I need to use the bathroom and put some clothes on.
Dressed in a causal dress, I pull my hair back and make my way down the stairs. The house is silent as I make my way to the coffee pot to turn it on, surely he hasn't left already, I think as I flip the button. I go to open the door to take a quick peek in the garage when three beeps startle me. I look around, confused by the beeps, but take note that his Bentley is parked beside my Outback. Looking at those two cars sitting side by side in the garage is almost comical, two totally different vehicles for two totally different people. When I turn I about jump out of my skin because Prince is standing in the middle of the kitchen. My hand flies up to cover my heart and I laugh at my surprise, closing the door, I hear those same three beeps, ah, yes, the alarm system.
"What 'cha lookin' for?" he tries to hide his amusement.
"To see if you were still here," I admit.
He pointedly looks around the kitchen, "Yep, I'm still here," he chuckles. "Grab your coffee, I want to show you some things."
With coffee in hand we go back into his office where he has a video ready to play, it's TMZ's coverage of our engagement announcement. They've done some homework on me, obviously, showing pictures of where I grew up in Michigan as well as the area around where I had lived in Tennessee. Thank God there is no mention of the vineyard, yet. The whole segment is brief, and several times they flash the image they were sent from yesterday's photo shoot. I turn to Prince in awe, his lips are pursed, then pressed before he asks, "Do you want to watch it again?"
I shake my head, "No." Honesty, I think to myself, I wish I'd never seen it at all. I can't explain exactly how I feel, violated, maybe.
"You okay?" he studies my face. He knows I value my seclusion as much as he does.
"I will be, but right now I feel a little sick to my stomach. Why did they have to share so much about me? And pictures of my hometown..." I stop, shaking my head.
"That's what they do," he says dryly. "Well, they are only one news source, but here's another."
He hands me The Star Tribune newspaper. There's a very nice article about the engagement, with the picture I liked from last night. There's some basic information on me, but it isn't as intrusive as the TMZ segment.
"Much better," I say handing him back the paper.
He moves back to the computer, a couple more clicks and there's an Entertainment Tonight segment he has me watch. This one is done more professionally, but they also rehash his previous marriages. Images flash through of him with Mayte, then Manuela, followed by an image of us from last night. My eyes avert from the screen when our picture appears, I feel even more sick, and I see him turn his attention to me out of my peripheral vision. I knew how absolutely stunning those two women were, but seeing it in quick succession with our photo makes me realize just how ordinary I am. The Bentley and the Outback, I frown, it's not so comical, now.
"Sugar?" he says softly.
I stand slowly, giving him a chance to step back, "I need a minute," I whisper as I pick up my coffee and leave his office, I head straight to the garden. I see the bench and urns still sitting where our last photos were taken, I look at them as I pass, making my way to the top of the stone steps in the back section and sit.
Holding my coffee mug in both hands, I stare down at my pretty toenails. I know I shouldn't let these things get to me, I'm the one that's here, right? I lift my left hand and look at my ring before pressing those fingers to my mouth while I think. I take a deep breath and turn my attention to the area around me, I start contemplating my next series of tasks in the garden, doing like Prince does, getting lost in work.
I can feel Prince approaching even before I turn my head and see him at the bottom of the steps. "Hey," he says cautiously, climbing to sit beside me.
"Hey," I look down at my toes again, then meet his eyes, "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Walking away." I shake my head. "Prince, I can't even begin to compare to the beauty of your ex's."
He scrunches his face, "No one is asking you to." I see him thinking, instead he mutters under his breath, "Trophy wives," there's a bitterness to his words.
I look back at him and nod before looking off into the garden again, but I stay quiet. Since he's sitting on my right, his left hand settles into my knee and squeezes. I set down my mug and place my right hand onto his.
"Can I ask you something?" his voice is soothing, he flips his hand, intertwining our fingers.
"Yes." I look back into his eyes.
"What's the difference between a flower and a weed?"
I look off into the distance as I think about the question, it seems obvious that they are both totally different things. I frown, and shake my head, I know his answer will have more meaning than mine. I make eye contact, "What?"
"Judgement." he looks at me and smiles before he kisses my cheek. "Come on, let's get you some breakfast," he stands, pulling me by my hand.
"I'm really not hungry at the moment," I protest as I lift off the step.
"You need to eat something, I believe we have some unfinished business from last night," his eyes sparkle with anticipation.
"Oh!" He has me blushing again as he leads me towards the house.
As I sit down at the counter with a fruit salad and some peanut butter toast that Prince thought was an odd choice, I ask him, "Aren't you hungry?"
"Ummm, I had a bite to eat earlier, although I am starving," he looks at me hungrily. "Take your time, Sugar," he kisses me, "I'll be upstairs." Oookay, I think as I watch him leave the kitchen, he's up to something. I shake my head and continue eating my breakfast.
